Freedom

I recently reconnected with an old friend of mine – one who knew me quite well when I was…shall we say, a “wild child.”  We were stationed together in the Army for a period of time, and we did some pretty crazy and stupid things…not to mention some pretty embarrassing and immature ones, as well.  The great thing is we can laugh at them today.  There is a great freedom in not taking oneself too seriously!

While it’s great to be able to laugh at some of life’s foibles, there are times when my selfishness and self-centeredness is hurtful to others.  A couple of other friends I recently reconnected with and I have shared how we feel as though we are coming out from a cave, each of us having seemingly withdrawn from life for a period of time.  (One of my friends is a true spiritual mentor, and I sense his cave was more of the crystal variety, while mine was dark and dreary with a floor covered in bat dung!)  I believe that wallowing in the cave is one of the most selfish things I can do.

Fortunately, there is a way out of the cave and into the light.  When I ask God to “relieve me of the bondage of self” in my morning prayers – and sometimes throughout the day – He does.  To me, there is no greater freedom in the world.  I am, by nature, selfish and self-centered – at times to the extreme.  No matter what problems I perceive in my life, they are usually rooted in selfishness – based on decisions I’ve made when focused on what I want instead of what God wants for me.  When I turn things over to God, I can get out of myself and be available for others.   And, when I am focused on what I can to for others, I am free for that time of some of some of my bad habits, negative thinking, and other such things that stand between me and God.

As this is my pyrography site, I thought I’d share my most recently completed burning – that of an emblem of freedom throughout America.  Enjoy!

America Eagle - pattern by Lora S. Irish

 Have a wonderfully free day!